mommyoffive Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Please help me out and let me know if this is legal. Then tell me if you think it is fair. I live in a town that has a university, which is great in a lot of ways. They do a lot of programs for kids (not college students) starting at age 1.5 and up until high school. Piano lessons, gymnastics, tons of sports camps, signing, drama, and on and on. They give a 50% off the rate to anyone who is enrolled in the school district of the city. Even though I live in the town and pay taxes, because my kids are homeschooled and not enrolled in the school, they are not allowed to get the 50% off discount. Is that legal? Is that fair? What should I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 It is definitely not fair, but nowhere is it written that life is fair, ever. so just let that thought go. As for legal, sounds like it may be walking the line on that one. I would contact your school district's superintendent and also the Registrar of the University asking how they came up with that policy. What you should do is: *NOT sit on your duff and do nothing ;) *Call and ask questions *Decide what you will do with the answers you're given *come back here and update us B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I would think it is legal. I am not aware of any law that mandates that homeschooled students must receive the same benefits as public schooled students. I guess the university can decide its own policies to whom they wish to offer discounts. It may also be that the school district as a whole has entered some kind of agreement with the university and is maybe shouldering part of the cost. Fair? No. But what else is new.. life is not fair. (Is it fair that some states have free dual enrollment for high school students and others don't?) What to do? Contact the people in charge of the program. Explain the homeschooling laws in your state. Ask whether policies can be reconsidered. But ultimately, I don't think you have any way to enforce it; you can only appeal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Yes, I do know that life is not fair. I know there are pros and cons to homeschooling for sure. Just like in anything else. This is in Wisconsin for any help that is. We have contacted the University and the school and just gotten back that you have to be enrolled in the school for the discount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 As for legal, sounds like it may be walking the line on that one. I would contact your school district's superintendent and also the Registrar of the University asking how they came up with that policy. I highly doubt the Registrar is involved in outreach programs for children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Does the university give discounts to private schools? Because if it does, and then doesn't have anything for homeschooled children, then yes, that would be a bad thing. If not, then it would be annoying but it would just be one of those things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Does the university give discounts to private schools? Because if it does, and then doesn't have anything for homeschooled children, then yes, that would be a bad thing. If not, then it would be annoying but it would just be one of those things... It doesn't sound like they give the discount to private school students either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 They do a lot of programs for kids (not college students) starting at age 1.5 and up until high school. .... They give a 50% off the rate to anyone who is enrolled in the school district of the city. So private school students would have to pay full price too, not just homeschooled kids. Also public school students in other school districts would have to pay full price too even if they don't mind commuting to the university.. Do the children that are younger than kindergarten age get a discount? Because only the 3 and 4 year olds who are in early intervention would be in the school district program. Since the discount is for public school kids in that particular school district, I would suspect there is a collaboration of some kind either in funding or manpower or both. For example an elementary public school librarian helps out every summer in the city library as a city librarian in the children's section. Ask how the discount policy came about instead of staying upset over the policy. My property tax funds my local school district but I don't get to use the schools' pool or library or computer room. Only the kids enrolled in that particular school does. I do get access to school evaluations for LD though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 I am not sure about 3 year olds, but our state has 4k through the public school, so 4 year olds get the discount if you are in school. There are no actual private schools in our city however. Only about 20-30 mins away would be the nearest one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Places very often lump homeschool students in with private school students, if they even think about it at all. I have had very good luck just asking if homeschool students can participate as well in such things and the answer is usually yes. And if they lumping homeschool kids in with private school kids, sometimes it just needs to be explained. But sometimes the college needs a licensed teacher providing some oversight or instruction or supervision to the student teachers for the program. If that is the case, some private and homeschoolers won't be able to participate. The program may benefit local public school students, but it is actually to meet the needs of the college student instructors. Sometimes they need someone to volunteer to do some admin. For example, I am the homeschool coordinator for the homeschool music lesson program from one of the local universities. They have a music education program and offer lessons to public school kids. The local public schools are doing all the leg work to make sure lessons happen, not the college. So, I do the leg work and the lessons happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I don't see why it wouldn't be legal. Perhaps the schools give something back in return you're not aware of so it's quid pro quo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I don't know why it would be illegal. Out of curiosity, is it a public or private university? In addition to students enrolled in the public school, who is participating in these programs? If there are no private schools in the area, who (besides homeschoolers) does not get the discount? This sounds as if it is a program run out of a community outreach office, or some other entity on campus, and not the registrar's office. How is this program funded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I am not aware of any law that mandates that homeschooled students must receive the same benefits as public schooled students. There is one in my state. Anything that goes through the schools must be made available to homeschool students. So, the local college, which lets local high schoolers attend one class per semester, also lets homeschoolers attend but they must go through the school (who must accommodate them). By the time the paperwork gets to the college, they can't even tell who is homeschooled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 There is one in my state. Anything that goes through the schools must be made available to homeschool students. So, the local college, which lets local high schoolers attend one class per semester, also lets homeschoolers attend but they must go through the school (who must accommodate them). By the time the paperwork gets to the college, they can't even tell who is homeschooled. What exactly does "through the schools" mean? I get it if it is an activity that is organized through and by the school. But does the law force any other entity (a business, an organization, or a private club) that decides to offer benefit X to public school students mandate that this entity must also offer this benefit to homeschoolers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Is it legal? Almost certainly. Is it fair? What difference does that make? I know some homeschoolers are used to enjoying benefits like free Community College or free or reduced price dual enrollment. All of those things are state by state and even district by district at times. If their policy is that students enrolled in public school get the benefit, then enroll your students or recognize it isn't open to you. Can you complain, write a letter, or make some other noise? Certainly, but please do it in a way that positively represents homeschoolers. You have no right to the programs offered. You are requesting a privilege, approach it from that perspective and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I would try to lobby them to change it. You're residents of the town too. You'd also like to participate. They may be basing their discount on the presumption that homeschoolers are wealthy or that they don't need access to the services. Of course, they may not change it, life isn't fair, yada yada, but I would try to contact them and speak to someone personally. If there's a homeschool group in your town, I would see if many people could write or if you could meet with them as a group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space station Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Our school district, also in Wisconsin, has also arranged for certain summer programs at various organizations around town to be free, or subsidized to some extent. These discounts apply to any child living within the boundaries of the school district regardless of whether the child is enrolled in public school, private school, out of district, or homeschooled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I agree with the previous posters in that if it wasn't a purely philosophical issue for my family, I would spend some energy getting the required result. We are on the border of two different counties, in the same state: the policies of the respective community colleges (both part of the same huge state university system) vary quite a bit as regards homeschoolers/younger kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I don't know anything about the law, but I'd have to think this is legal. Imagine I own a candy store, and I give out free chocolate to kids who bring in report cards from the local public schools with all A's. Do people really believe that I'm legally obligated to respect that offer for all kids, be they from private schools, home-schools, etc.? That kind of discrimination may be unfair, it may be bad business, but I'm sure it is legal. I'm also curious how one would prove to a 3rd party that a young child is enrolled in a public school. Back when I went to school, we got IDs in high school, but not earlier. I wonder if in our overly worried times if all public school kids are issued IDs: does anyone know? I guess you could bring a report card from the previous semester to show that a student was enrolled. Come to think of it, I don't know how to "prove" that one homeschools, in state with relaxed regulations. I mean, if I owned a denim jumper, that would be one way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I'm also curious how one would prove to a 3rd party that a young child is enrolled in a public school.My older had a student ID card every year issued by the public school since kindergarten. The card has his name, school, grade he was in and expiry date. If an organization wants to know, the person can easily call the school admin to verify. ETA: My older was tall for his age so it was convenient to have his student ID to prove he was a kindergartener and not a 2nd or 3rd grader. ETA: Some free programs my kids went to were sponsored/funded mainly by a certain school district so that district's children gets priority for registration. My kids get to attend if there are vacancies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 First, is it a public or private university? You may have more leverage with a public university/college. Have they extended the discounts to private school students? Have you talked to an administrator about the discount and extending it to all children living within the school district? Maybe a diplomatic discussion about the policy, its underpinnings and its effect would enable the university to expand the discount to all kids living within the school district. For example, are they trying to help local kids? Then local might better be defined by those within the county. Do they get funding from the local district? A frank, polite discussion will give you more information than we can Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I can't imagine a university running courses for preschoolers. I imagine they must be getting some funding from the school district. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 It is a public university. They way they would know if you are a public school student is that the registration paperwork is sent to the school district, where I imagine they check to see if you are enrolled. They have gymnastics starting at 1.5 years old through this. We already have had a discussion with them and they have stated you have to be student in the public school that is the only way for the discount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 It is a public university. They way they would know if you are a public school student is that the registration paperwork is sent to the school district, where I imagine they check to see if you are enrolled. They have gymnastics starting at 1.5 years old through this. We already have had a discussion with them and they have stated you have to be student in the public school that is the only way for the discount. What 1.5 year old is enrolled in public school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I wouldn't imagine that this is any different than allowing, or not allowing, homeschooled children to participate in interscholastic sports at their zoned public school - some allow for it, others do not. I mean, we pay taxes for those facilities... right? I imagine it varies by state, legality-wise. Fair? That's incredibly relative. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 They way they would know if you are a public school student is that the registration paperwork is sent to the school district, where I imagine they check to see if you are enrolled. It is very likely then that the school district pays a portion and claims under their expenses budget. Not sure how they justify for 1.5 years to 3 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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